Doris Ilene Anderson
Doris Ilene Anderson, 94, of Warsaw, Ind., passed away at 11:46 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013, at Kosciusko Community Hospital of Warsaw.
Doris was born on her parent’s farm in Nebraska on Dec. 14, 1918. Owen and Hannah Johnson Jones taught Doris and Irene faith in God, love, trust and hard work. Doris learned John 3:16 and other sound Christian concepts including world missions at the little country church of Emmaus.
Doris graduated from a high school teacher training course in Holdrege, Neb., and later from the Evangelical Free Church Bible School in Chicago, where she met Ken Anderson. They quickly realized they were soulmates. Her engagement ring bore Psalm 34:3 and 7 diamond chips, which would come to represent their seven children. On Nov. 16, 1938, they were married, and Ken preceded her in death on March 12, 2006.
Ken and “Mrs. A.” ministered together in love and God’s blessing for 67 years. They planned to be missionaries, and first served churches in Isle, Minn., and Newman Grove, Neb., (where Mrs. A. was hired as youth director).
Health conditions led them away from traditional missions and they became an effective and fruitful ministry team – Ken the visionary; Mrs. A. the pragmatist. Early on, Mrs. A. suggested Ken, ever the storyteller, try writing a book. Over the years, Ken called her his co-author because she helped revise many of his 77 books, including Where to Find it in the Bible, with over four million copies.
Ken became Youth for Christ Magazine’s first full time editor, which led to a 1948 China trip with Bob Pierce, who founded World Vision. While Ken was in China, Mrs. A. moved the family to Michigan where she and Ken founded Gospel Films in 1949. Mrs. A. put her Bible school and teacher training to good use at home as God grew the family to 7 children. She also served frequently in the film editing rooms. In 1954, Zondervan published Mrs. A.’s Encyclopedia of Games which she prefaced with, “It is my sincere prayer that these games will be the means whereby many will learn that Christians are the happiest people in the world.”
In 1961, Ken and Mrs. A. established Ken Anderson Films in Warsaw, where Mrs. A. took on business office responsibilities as well as film editing.
In 1991, she became a founding board member of InterComm, which continues to place KAF media into the hands of national evangelists worldwide.
Mrs. A., a long-time member of the historic Winona Lake Presbyterian Church, enjoyed gourmet cooking, piano, crafts and gardening. On her final day, she affirmed, “I have accomplished everything I needed to accomplish.” Before falling asleep, she prayed, “lead me gently home, Father.”
Survivors include seven children: Naoma (Larry) Clark, Castalian Springs, Tenn.; Margaret (Lanny) Mauzy, Warsaw; Donn (Diane) Anderson, Dallas, Ore.; Lane (Jill) Anderson, Warsaw; Max (Claudia) Anderson, Rockford, Ill.; Ken D. (Beth) Anderson, Warsaw; and Melody Anderson, San Diego, Calif.; and a host of grand, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
An informal private family gathering is planned.
Memorial donations in Mrs. Anderson’s name may be sent to InterComm, Inc., P.O. Box 6l8, Winona Lake, IN 46590.
Arrangements were entrusted to Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Rd., Warsaw.